Thursday, August 22, 2013

Slow living - natural dyeing vol. 2


Hurraa!(hooray)

natural dye photo by Kreetta Järvenpää blog: www.gretchengretchen.com
i got this old pot from our neighbour when we had flea market on our yard

I made it! I made my first natural dye. I dyed cotton fabric that I bought from one lovely shop that sells old things and there I found this -not used- cotton fabric.


natural dye photo by Kreetta Järvenpää blog: www.gretchengretchen.com
wet fabric

My mordant was rhubarb leaves. I took few rhubarb leaves from our garden. I boiled them with the small piece of fabric about 3 hours. I dried the fabric.
 
My coloring material was peelings and stone of one avocado. I dug them from our food waste. Avocado peelings with fabric went to the pot and with quite low simmering I kept them there for about 3 hours. I left them there over night. And I got some color! Yay!  


natural dye photo by Kreetta Järvenpää blog: www.gretchengretchen.com
dried fabric. would you know that this color is from avocado?

The waste of dyeing I threw to compost. There's nothing poisonous or chemicals so it is possible to do so.

I think you should understand something about chemistry when you are doing this natural dyeing but I don't understand so much, that's a pity. But I'll learn by doing, don't I? If you have a clue to why to use certain mordant with certain fabric and certain color source, please tell me. I've been reading India Flint's book but already forgot some information - I had to return it back to the library...maybe I have to buy one.

It takes time but I love it! And what should I do now with that colored piece of fabric? It will be totally great photo prop, I can already say...

xo
Kreetta

10 comments:

  1. Oh, this is great, love it!
    I dyed since yet canvas... I have painted with coffee or tea (different teas, black, roiboos, green, fruit...) and a small piece of cotton.
    I wanna dye some new linnen for a more used-look.... hmm your colours are lovely!
    So, how are you have fixed the colour.... with salt or vinegar? or?

    Best,
    Ariane.

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  2. This is brilliant. I wish I had the time to naturally dye fabrics and make my own clothes. I couldn't tell this was from avocado. very nice to meet another natural lady. keep it up!
    -Kat xo

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  3. Hello Ariane! My mordant - with that the color fix better to the fabric - was rhubarb leaves. I simmered the fabric with them for three hours. I haven't washed the fabric after coloring so I do not know how permanent the color is. But I'm going to use it in photography so it doesn't matter...I have so much to learn about this!

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  4. Hi Kat! You know I've just started in this summer to make my clothing again. No all of them ;) It's fun but also takes time. We'll see how I have time when I go back to work...

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  5. It gives such a lovely subtle colour. It would have been fun doing it. Do you know how to do really vibrant colours too? I'm thinking about the dying in India... Really nice and no doubt rewarding. Mel x

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  6. Hi Mel!
    I'm so in the beginning with this that I don't have any good advices, sorry to say. That I know if you are making natural dye without chemicals the colors aren't so bright comparing to colors that are dyed with chemicals. Except indigo blue. I might be wrong also. But I like the idea that I don't use chemicals so...I can throw everything to compost. But please tell if you do some dyeing and thanks for stopping by!

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  7. rhubarb leaves are a good mordant but better added to solutions for silk or wool...you might try mordanting your cotton in a little dilute ash water - especially if using avocado pits. alkalis + avocado tend to give reddish colours :)

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  8. Hello India! Wow, great to see you here! Thank you for your pro advise...that is very much needed. So I go to our sauna to get some ash! What a wonderful way to learn.

    xo
    Kreetta

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  9. Wow! this is fantastic! I love how the subtle the colour is and embracing of natural dyes. Congrats on such a great DIY project.

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  10. Thank you Gum Shoe ;)
    I just got an advice from India also, if you see above...so fun and so so great!

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